A night on Lake Titicaca

As part of exploring Lake Titicaca (worlds highest navigable lake) on the Peruvian side; I was able to do a home stay with a local family on one of the lakes many islands, Amantani Island.

Most reports I’d heard of these home stays included copious amounts of alcohol, playing dress-ups in local garb and cheesy souvenirs being peddled by the families.

I was pleasantly surprised when the family with whom I was placed were a simple family with a modest 2 room house. The father woke up early to leave for work, the mother kept her simple dirt floored house in impeccable condition whilst the older sister took care of her younger brother.

Only at one point, when the father pulled out a stack of books during dinner one night we thought we were in for a sales pitch; however, within moments we were to find out that it was the sons first day at school the next day and these the father was carefully unwrapping the notebooks.